Pulsator



Oct. 13, 1931. J, A, ScHMlT-r 1,827,405

PULSATOR Filed Oct. 15, 1928 f x Nia Joran A.- scnmrrtr, or WAUKSHA; wisconsin,'Assienonfrofrrnn Univunsnn MiLKInG ,Y

Patented Oct.v .713,"1i9311 Y Y MAcmNncoMrANtzor WAUKESHA; wisoonsnnn CORPORATION orwrsoonsm ent conduits withdi'iferenntwt cups of thel k' lrUILsAfron l .Appneationined october51,5,"1923. serial :#0,312,545

This invention relates to 'pulsa-tors lor alternatorsfor milking apparatus fand analogous purposes',l and morepa-rticularly to-v pneumatically operated actuating means vfor automatically reversing the control 'valve' as .the pulsatorvalve'approaches the oppositelimits f of its stroke.y

Such'pulsator devices' are employed 1n' a c p milking lapparatus intermediate'the suction or vacuum pump and/the tea't cup system for subjectingthe 'teatcup inflation to intermittent atmospheric vpressure/Hand suction influence. yBrieflyV stated, ,thefpuls'ator mechanism issubjected to aconstant suction or vacuum influence. It visV connected through independsysteml [By means'of ai reversible pulsator valve;1 one of the vteat` cup air conduits V,is opened toatmospherifc pressure, while the other is operativelyconnectedwith they suc-v tion or vacuum`mean's." Suchinterconnection of teat cup conduits -is intermittently reversed by reversal ofthe pulsat'or'valve.r vTo actuate the 7pulsator valve there is employedI a re# ciprocatory piston n operating underjatmospheric pressure-from tiret-fone and thenthe other 'side lof' whichpthey airv is exhausted. Such exhaustis controlled by'an alternating controly lvalve Heretoiore,` it 'has been the general practice to reverse such control valve,

. governingthe exhaust'and admission of air froml andv to a pistongcylinden byfineans ofy an actuating spring placedjunder tension by the'movement of 'thevpistomv and suddenly releasedto eiect the snap-over-,action as the lpulsatory valvey approaches the limit, of its stroke in either direction. p, ,Obviously such "spring'tension actuating meanss'ubj ected the apparatus to increased resistance and inter-A fered more Vor lesswith'the free,` uniform operation of the parts.

In "the present construction there con- VVtemplated pneumatic means for effecting the reversal `of the piston and pulsator valve whereina-tlexible diaphragm is'pmountedvv in a'chamber' independent of the piston cylinder and 'is connected through a reciprocatory link n with a rocky arm on'theoscillatory stemo Y thecontrol valve. The alternating Apulsator valve not only connects theteat cup-conduits y with the suction orvacuum meanshutatithe i y Y i same time it'connects V,an air duct orpassage yleading to one sideorthe otherof the flexi- T f A1,821.7;,4ff f bleL diaphragm with suchsuction 'or vacuum means and simultaneouslyopens tov atmo's-R pheric pressure a second air ductffleadingto Y the opposite side of such flexible diaphragm. This `servesto eliecta to and fro reversal of the ycontrol valvelgoverning the admission and exhaustionY oit' air to', and from the pis T50 ton cylinder in unison with thev to andfro ymotion of the pulsator valve without nhowi ever subjecting any of such parts to increased i resistance or .retarding their movement Vand without subjecting them. toshock or sudden reaction'iincidentto the snap-over action upon release of a compressed springL The ob'ect ofthe inventionv 1s to 'simplify j fthe construction vaswell asjthe" means vand Y. Y

modeof operation ofjpulsatorfmechanismg whereby they will not onlyfbe' cheapened in construction, but rwill be more eiiicient in operation, uniform in action, having :few parts,"and unlikely to get out of repair. 7

vJX further object of the invention vis to provide' pneumatic .actuatingl means for theV con= trol valve for such pulsa-tor mechanisms,V

yin the specifications, the inventionV consists of the features of construction7 the parts'and 'combinations thereof1 and the mode of operationy ortheir equivalent, as' hereinafter de-A I scribed and set forthvinfthe claims.'

Referring to the.V accompanying drawings v wherein is shown the irnreferred, but obviouslyy not necessarily the only form 'of en ibooli'f-V mentl of theinventiom Fig. 1 isla perspective n view of the assembled' pulsator :apparatus forming thesubjectmatterhereof. Fig. 2 n

vis a top planview thereofshowingy the pull sator and-control valves atlthe limit oftheir strokes opposite those shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the body of the pulsator with the valves removed .illustrating the relative relation of the various inlets and exhaust ports and` the disposition of the air duct leading therefrom. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled pulsator. Fig. 5 is an end elevation from the left of Fig. 4 with the terminal cap and diaphragm removed. Fig. Sis va perspective view of the pulsator valve. 7 is a similar perspective view of the control valve. Fig. 8 is a perspective Vview of the valve retainer. l y

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout `the several views. i

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 is the main frame or body of the pulsator having a hollow base forming the suction chamber 2 with which communicates a spud or conduit connection leading from a pump or other suction or vacuum producing apparatus. rlhe top of the body 1 is machined flat to forni a valve seat over which the pulsator and control valves operate.y 1n this valved seat is formed a suction port 4 from which a conduit leads downward to the chamber 2. Located closely ace-nt to the suction port 4 are independent ports 5 communicating with Y connections 6 to which are to be attached the flexible air conduits leading to the teat cup inflations. The air port 5 communicating with-such teat cup inflation conduits are alternately connectedwith the suction port 4 by the to and fr0 motion of a `pulsator valve 7 slidingly movable to vand fro on the valve table 3. frlhis pulsator valve 7 is provided on its under surface with a recess or cavity 8 of sufficient size to overlap simultaneously a suction port 4 and one or the other of the air ports 5 leading to the teat cup connection.y When one of such ports 5 is covered by the valve 7 and so connected to the suction port 4, the other of the ports 5 is open to atmosphere thus permitting atmospheric pressure to enter the conduit. The under side of the pulsatoivalve 7 being sub'- jected to suction or vacuum influence through lie port 4, atmospheric pressure upon the top surface of the valve will hold the valve tightly and closely to its seat upon' the table 3.

To alternate the pulsatorvalve 7 there is provided in oneend of the main frame or body 1 of the pulsator, a cylinder 19 having therein a reciprocatory piston l11, the stem 12 of which extends within a borev 13 inthe body'of the pulsator.r Connected' with the piston stem 12 and extending upwardly through a slot 14 in the valve table 3 is a T-shaped stud 15 which engagesloosely in a slot 16 in the under side of the pulsator valve 7. As the piston travels to 'and fro 'within the cylinder 10, it carries with it the pulsator valve V7 resting upon the valve table 3, and interconnected with the piston through the coupling stud 15 and piston stem 12.

To effect the to and fr0 movement of the piston 11 within the cylinder 10, there is provided in the valve table 3, a second exhaust port 18 which also communicates through a passage with the suction chamber 2 in the base of the pulsator. Located in close association with the suction port 18 are two auxiliary ports 19 from which air passages 20 and 21 lead thru the body of the pulsator 1 to opposite ends of the cylinder 10. An oscillatory control valve 22 controls the ports 18 and 19. This valve 22 has in its under side a recess or pocket 23 of sufhcient size to overlap the exhaust port 18 and one or the` other of the auxiliary ports 19. rlhe other auxiliary port is simultaneously opened to atmosphere. rllhus while atmospheric air may freely enter the exposed port and pass thence through the connecting air passage to one end or the other of the cylinder 10 as the case may be, air is being exhausted from the cylinder at the opposite side of the piston 1.1 through the other of the air connecti ing conduits which at such time is interconnected with the exhaust port 18 Jthrough the pocket 23. Upon reversal of the control valve 22, atmospheric air is admitted through the other of the ports 19 wliile air is exhausted from the opposite side of the piston 11 thereby effecting a reverse movement of such piston and with it the pulsator valve. As thus far described the construction is substantially that shown in my prior Patents No. 1,408,036 of ret. es, ieee, No. 1,647,971 of Nov. 1, 1927 and No. 1,681,138 of Aug. 14, 1928, and forms no part per se of the present invention. Such mechanism is here described and shown for illustrative purposes only in order that the particular invention of actuating means for the control valve 22 may be more fully and completely understood. It will be understood further that a pneumatic valve actuating means hereinafter described n is applicable to pulsator mechanisms of various designs and constructions and is not limited to the specific pulsator construction ,shown and described with which it has been 'ing hole 27u/l in the under side of the oscillatory control valve 22. There is Vno danger of-air leakage about the shaft 27. The valve i 22 is of .sufficientsize;v to'overlafp the shaft opening onl all sides andisfheld closely seated upon the .'table1e3by: atmosphericpressu-re 'due to the` suction ror fvacuum -iniuence f beneath suchvalve. At its loWer `rend the rock shaft H27 carriesan arm -28 havingqpivotal lengage- 'operatively connected with the 'freciprocatory stemtor stud 29Ay by the engagement of'itsV down turned end in Aa hole jin suchk stud or stennlthe Vmovement of ,thel diaphragm' or l piston 26 is thus transmittedgto thero'ck shaft -v 27 which carries. `with it. the j controlrvalve v22v `l auxiliary ports 19. `The covered portfifs con-V thereby sv'vingingA the valve to `andzfroto .al-f .ternately cover and exposeathe'z,respective nected by such valve'lvvith lthe exhaustport To eifect a periodic reversal of the diaphragm or piston 26 and `With itthev control valve 22lther-e are provided inthe valve table 3 and in lclose proximity tothe lports `5--5 two air portsi 325-32 linterconnected by air passages through thebody 1 fvvithfthe compartments of the chamber 25at opposite sidesV of the rdi aphragm 26.3 Such air passages are indicated inFig. 3 at 33", andf`34- l The passage'v 34:leadsthrough.the margin vofthe dia- .f phragm26 :and into a' recess in Vthe closure head of the, chamber 25.", ,The relation the port 32 and5 'is -such that the pulsator` valve 7 alternately opens and .closeslthe ports 32 simultaneously with the lopening and clossultI while one vof fthe, ports 32 yis.A connected with the suction port through theoverly' ing recess or 'pocket'in the pulsator valve 7 thereby exhausting theV air from one side yof f the diaphragm vor piston 26, the other of the ports 32 is open' to atmosphere,permittingA thev entrance of air and. atmospheric pressure to the opposite side of the .diaphragml 26;

Upon reversal of the pulsator valve this reA lationy of exhaustion and air admission is reversed.' Theadmission of atmospheric air' f first to' one side andrthen the other of the iexiblediaphragm or piston -26 with the simultaneous exhaustion of air from the oppositeside .thereof `'effects van intermittent to Vand fro motion of theidiaphrag'm, which, as

before described, yis transmitted through the stem 30 and rock shaft 27V to' the oscillatory control valve 22. Inasmuch as the port 32 is uncovered only as the pulsatoryvalve .7 approaches the limit of its stroke at which time it closesl the opposite port r32, the control `valve 22 remains in its operated position until the end of the pulsatonvalve movement,

f ffj whereupon it is reversed-toits opposite po- 'slot .14 with its lower end seated inaftrans# o 1 f 'side of thepiston 11 vvithinthe `cylinder 10 without Aresistar'icc to movement of other op-` i -erating parts and With minimunrexpenditure ofy power. i

, VThe coupler member'rl. intercon'necting v, the pulsator valve7 With the piston stem12 j y is lof substantially 'elif-shape'.l The shank of suchI coupler Vmember extends throughthe verse `hole inthe piston stem 1-2.Av The lower is'preferably of rectangular yformv and of such dimensionfas Cto pass readily through the slotflll'.Y The portion 35 of the shanknorhangs the end of the slot 14 as the piston-ap.-` proaches the limit of its movement Vin .either direction. -lVhile they rectangular lowerend 36 ofthe shank may seat ina corresponding hole of `rectangular form in thepiston stem,

,sition thereby directing air tothe oppositeend of such shank Within thesocket orhol i 'miiywiaan 'the not iris of eyiinarieaig??? form. The transverse r head portion 'over-U in practice, the transverseholeinthe stem Y 12 is circular ha-ving' a` diameter -approxiv matelyfequaltc the diagonal of theirectangular p'ortion36 of suchstem. i From the above description ated' as desirable. but which obviously issusf tions, detail construction and arrangement ofl parts Without departing'from the principle ,involvedlv'or sacrificing any of its advaning` of thecorrespondlng ports 5.1 rAs a re-.f

tages. .f l

l it- Will be apikl f y' parent that vthereis thus provided: a2 device ofthecharacter described possessingfthe par- 'y ticiilarfeatures of advantagebefore enumer- 100 Y 195 f yWhile inorder tocomply with the statute the invention has been describedin'lanniiage more or less specific as to structural features, v

.it 'is-to. be understood.thatv the inventionis not limited tothe specific details shown', but 11,9

that they means rand construction herein-)dis` k- Yclosedxcoinprlse the preferred form of several modes of puttingr theY invention into*L effect Yand the invention 1stherefo re, claimed in'v anvof'itsforms or modifications vv-ithiiil.15 the legitimate; andvalidscope of the/ap! pcnded claims.'v

. yHaving thus described claimzf- A v-1. In a, pnlsator mechanism aiiuid pressure 1.2.0

operated alternatin.Ly 'mechanism including a pulsator valve and a mvoted control valve governing` the admission of actuating i'iuid I to said mechanism. fluid pressure operated vibratorv dianhraaan.'V an? operative connect` i' tion betvven saiddiaphragmand tvhepivoted"v my invention, I.

the diaphragm controlled by the pulsator valve under influence of the first mentioned mechanism. t

2. In a pulsator mechanism including a pulsator valve and fluid pressure actuating means therefor of a control valve pivotedY for to and fro swinging motion controlling the action of the fluid under pressure to effect intermittent reversal of the pulsator valve andfvibratory fluid pressure actuated means controlled byY the pnlsator valve and means for. converting' the vibratory motion ofsaid fluid pressure actuated means into oscillatory motion for swinging the pivotedV control valve to alternate positions to control the Erst mentioned fluid pressure actuating means.V

3. In a pulsator mechanism, a pulsator valve and actuating means for effecting periodic reversal of 'the pulsator valve from one position to another, control member pivoted for to and fro swinging mot-ion governing the actuating` means, and fluid pressure operated vi iratory diaphragm for actuating the swinging control. member to alternate positions governed by the alternating` movement of the pulsator valve.

1l. ln a pulsator mechanism, an alternating pulsator valve and actuating means therefor, a control member piv'oted for to and fro swingingmotion governing the alternating movement of the valve, and Yfluid pressure actuater means for swinging the control member in turn governed by the alternation of the pulsator valve.

5. ln a pulsator mechanism, a cylinder, `a piston therein.. pulsa-tor valve connected with and movable to and fro in unison with the piston, said pulsator being operable to alternately open and close independent ports connnunicat-inp with a distant mechanism, a control valve pivoted for to and fro swinging motion, ports controlled thereby communicating with the cylinder on opposite of the piston for admitting actuating fluid to and exhausting same from the cylinder, a second fluid pressure chamber. .a vibratory diaphragm therein, ports leading to said chamber on opposite sides of the diaphragm alternately opened and closed by the pulsator valve in addition to said pulsator ports, for admitting` actuating fluid to and exhausting same from the chamber, and an operative connection between the vibratory diaphragm andsaid swinging control valve for alternating said. valve.

6. ln a pulsator mechanism., the combination with a cylin der having independent fluid pressure chambers in its opposite ends in axial alinement with each other, a piston in one of said chambers, a pulsator valve, an operative Vconnection between the pulsator valve and piston whereby said members move in unison, a control element pivoted for to and fro swinging motion and thereby controlling the admission rand lexhaustion of Vair alternately from the opposite sides of the piston, a vibratorydiaphragm in thel other of said fluid pressure chambers, said mechanism having ports for admitting fluid pressure to said chamber alternately on opposite sides of the diaphragm and controlled by the alternation of thepulsator valveand an operative connection between said diaphragm and the control element whereby said control element is alternated by the movement of the diaphragm.v

'l'. ln a pulsator mechanism, the combination with a reciprocating pulsator valve and actuating, means therefor, of a control velement for said pulsator valve actuating means pivoted for to and froswinging motion, a fluid pressure chamber, an alternating actuator therein, said mechanism having ports for admitting fluid pressure to said chamber alternately on opposite` sides of the actuator and controlled by the alternation of the pulsator valve, a rock shaft upon which the control element is mounted, and a rock arm carried by the shaft and operatively connected with the actuator for swinging-the control element in unisson with the alternating movement of the actuator'.-

8. ln pulsator mechanism, an" alternating pulsator valve, actuatingV means therefor, an alternating control element governing the pulsatorA valve actuating means, a fluid pressure chamber, a vibratory diaphragm, a roclr shaft connected with the control element, a rock arm carried thereby7 and connected with the diaphragm, actuating fluid being admitted to and exhausted alternately from opposite sides of the diaphragm within the chamber in unison with the alternat-ing motion of the pulsator valve. f

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29th `day of September A. D.

JOHN A. SCHMlTT. 

